THE CLAIM OF APOSTLESHIP FOR BISHOPS-HIGH PRIESTHOOD OF PAGE. PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION. The writer of this Essay is alone accountable for all its faults and defects. He has written it without the counsel or the help of any man, or of any body of men. He believes, and therefore he has spoken. Perhaps it will make him some enemies: this he would regret, as he desires, as much as lieth in him, to live peaceably with all men. If maintaining the truth should make him enemies, he cannot help it. Some may think that he speaks too freely on certain points, and as to certain orders of persons. All he can say, is, that he thought truth and piety required it. He would give honour to whom honour is due; but he hopes he shall ever shew the greatest courtesy to the truth of God. Whilst men, or the ordinances of men, oppose not the truth of God, he would respect them, and would submit to them for the Lord's sake; but when they oppose that truth, either in principle or in practice, he would call no man Father upon earth. The author makes no pretensions to style: he only regards words as a plain man does his clothes; not for ornament, but for use and decency. The confidence of his language arises from the conviction of his own mind, and not from any design to impose his opinions upon others. He dislikes to read an author who does not appear to believe himself. If any choose to controvert his positions, he freely allows them the liberty which he has taken. His design is CATHOLIC, NOT SECTARIAN. Truth is his object: though his efforts should perish, yet he will rejoice in the triumph of truth. He commits his work to God, and to his church, praying that the kingdom of our Redeemer may speedily come; that peace and happiness, truth and justice, religion and piety, may be established among us, and in all the earth, throughout all generations! Amen! PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. The author, on issuing a second edition of this Essay, embraces the opportunity of gratefully acknowledging his obligations to the Public for their favourable reception of his work. The difference between this second edition and the former one, consists in the addition of some important arguments; in the amplification of others; and in the increase of highly important authorities from writers of great celebrity, but whose works are expensive, and rarely to be met with by general readers. One of the most important additions will be found in the second sub-section, of Section 3, on the Apostleship of Bishops.* On a mature re-examination of the works of high church Episcopalians, the author perceived that this was a position which they esteemed of the very greatest importance, and in which they placed the greatest confidence. He set himself, therefore, to furnish a complete refutation of it. The reader is requested to give that sub-section a very attentive perusal. It will be found that several of the additional Notes contain an exposure of the Fallacies in the "Vindication of the Episcopal or Apostolical Succession, by the Rev. J. Sinclair, M. A. of Pembroke College, Oxford, Fellow of the Royal Society, Edinburgh, Minister of St. Paul's Episcopal Chapel, Edinburgh, &c." Dr. Hook having requested the Hon. and Rev. A. P. Perceval, Chaplain in ordinary to the Queen, to take up the Defence of the high church succession scheme, the Hon. and Rev. Gentleman has done so; and his work having been announced by the Doctor's party as a complete Answer to the Essay, the author has added a Critique on that work. He thinks the examination of these two specimens of defence by Mr. Sinclair and the Doctor's chosen champion, Mr. Perceval, will suffice; and will shew the reader how futile all such defences are, when tried on the principles maintained in this Essay. The Review of Dr. Hook's Sermon, on "Hear the Church," having a very near affinity to the argument of the Essay, and that Review having been considered a complete antidote to the Doctor's main fallacy, it is retained in the present edition. A general Index is added to the whole. * One word there is in this edition which would be better altered: Cyprian is called "Archbishop," at p. 116; "most eminent Bishop" would be better, as the office of Archbishop, as now constituted, did not then exist in Africa. |